The recent series of avoidable boat accidents across Lagos, Niger and other states has underscored the rising dangers in water transportation, highlighting the need for stricter regulation and monitoring of operators in the sector. Tragic mishaps, such as the one in Lagos where at least 21 passengers were feared drowned, underscore the urgency of addressing these fatal risks. UDEH ONYEBUCHI reports.
A sudden tragedy in Lagos
On October 7, as the sun began to set over Imore Town, Lagos, the evening calm was shattered by a loud crash. Two wooden boats, each with 16 passengers aboard, collided mid-lagoon, plunging families and friends into the vast water.
Despite rescue efforts, only 11 passengers survived, while 21 remain missing, feared drowned. This accident is one among many recent tragedies on Nigeria’s waterways, reflecting the crisis in the nation’s water transport system.
Across Nigeria, waterways stretching from the Lagos coastline to the Niger River are essential lifelines. Yet, overloaded boats, poorly trained operators, and lax safety enforcement have rendered water travel perilous for millions. While authorities have pledged reforms, the cycle of boat mishaps and loss of lives continues unabated, leaving families devastated and communities shaken.
Recurring tragedies and their familiar causes
Just days before the Lagos accident, a similar tragic incident took place in Niger State when a boat carrying over 300 passengers capsized in Mokwa Local Government Area. Many of the passengers, mostly women and children returning from a religious festival were admitted on board without life vests. Severely overcrowded, the wooden boat sank quickly, resulting in numerous deaths.
Former Director of Safety at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Captain Ade Olopoenia, highlighted the preventable nature of such accidents.
“These accidents are not surprising. Basic safety protocols are simply ignored. Overloading, night travel, and outdated boats are all too common. If authorities enforced even the minimum safety standards, we wouldn’t see so many lives lost.” said Captain Olopoenia.
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), responsible for regulating Nigeria’s inland water transport, has faced consistent criticism for its enforcement failures. Despite guidelines banning night travel and overloading, enforcement is minimal, particularly in rural areas where waterways provide economic access. While NIWA recently launched safety campaigns urging compliance, many in the sector argue that more rigorous action is needed to ensure passenger safety.
Human toll of inaction
The ongoing tragedies have devastated hundreds of families, many of whom are left without the comfort of recovering their loved ones’ bodies and giving them proper burial. In the Mokwa tragedy, local authorities spoke on the overcrowding that led to the accident.
Director of Relief and Rehabilitation at Niger State Emergency Services, Salihu Garba, explained: “The boat was only supposed to carry around 100 passengers. There were nearly 300 people on board. The overcrowding caused the boat to break apart.”
For survivors and families of victims, the grief extends beyond the immediate loss. In Patigi, Kwara State, where a similar tragedy in June claimed over 100 lives, entire families were shattered.
Survivors have often relied on local support networks, as government assistance is slow to reach affected communities. Only nine months after the June accident did Kwara State provide five boats and life jackets, a step seen as too little, too late.
“We watched helplessly as our loved ones drowned,” recalled Mohammad Ebu, a Patigi resident who lost 28 relatives in the tragedy.
NIWA’s struggle to implement reform
In response to the increasing accidents, NIWA has heightened its regulatory presence, initiating multiple safety campaigns in Lagos and Niger States.
NIWA’s Lagos Area Manager, Sarat Braimah, outlined some of these efforts: “The agency has deployed water marshals in high-risk areas and mandated inspections for boats. We’ve required life jackets, restricted night travel, and decommissioned unsafe boats. Yet without stronger oversight, our efforts are limited.”
Braimah added that NIWA has decommissioned nearly 75 percent of Lagos boats found to be unfit and has intensified vessel inspections. In some cases, the agency has arrested boat operators for flouting safety guidelines, particularly for nighttime operations.
However, critics argue that these steps are insufficient, especially in remote regions where accidents are frequent and oversight is lacking.
Role of unseaworthy boats and inadequate enforcement
Unseaworthy vessels continue to be a primary concern. A recent NIWA report revealed that nearly 75 percent of boats operating in Lagos were deemed unsafe, yet they remain active daily. Braimah, who oversees NIWA operations in Lagos, emphasised the need for more aggressive safety enforcement.
“Most of these boats are outdated, single-hulled, and ill-suited for river crossings,” she noted. “We cannot wait for another accident to happen. Unsafe boats must be barred from operating.”
Despite newly introduced penalties for breaching waterway safety codes, the impact remains to be seen. In rural areas, where many incidents occur, regulatory oversight is minimal.
An official from the Marine Transporters Association in Kogi State, Idris Abubakar, expressed his concerns: “If NIWA or NIMASA had a stronger presence, these accidents could be minimised. The willingness to enforce these regulations is what is lacking.”
Challenges faced by boat operators
For many boat operators, the obstacles extend beyond safety regulations. Economic limitations make it challenging to afford safe, well-maintained vessels. In Patigi, Niger State, Mohammed Kutigi, a local boat operator, shared the harsh reality of the industry.
“A new engine-run boat can cost up to N4 million. Most operators can’t afford that. If we had better resources, many of these unsafe vessels would be off the waterways.”
The prohibitive cost of replacing outdated boats means that operators continue using single-hull vessels with minimal safety features. For many, maintaining these boats is a struggle, as fares are low and profits slim.
Kutigi highlighted that in the absence of subsidies, operators are forced to take risks, prioritising their livelihoods over passenger safety. “Without adequate monitoring and support, unsafe practices will continue,” he added.
Regulatory failures and neglect
Nigeria boasts over 4,000 kilometers of navigable waterways, a vast resource for the estimated 60 million Nigerians who rely on river and coastal transport. Yet, poor infrastructure, regulatory shortfalls, and neglect have transformed this potential into a peril.
While NIWA and NIMASA are responsible for enforcing safety standards, critics argue that they are more focused on revenue collection than on ensuring passenger safety.
Captain Ade Olopoenia, a former NIMASA director, criticised this focus on revenue over regulation.
“Maritime administration should prioritise safety over revenue generation,” he said. “These vessels require annual inspections and crew certification, yet these processes have largely been abandoned.”
Safety awareness campaigns, once held by NIMASA to promote safe operations, have dwindled in recent years, with funding redirected to other projects. The abandonment of these safety initiatives has only worsened the risk posed to Nigerians who rely on waterway transport.
A call for urgent action
Experts agree that Nigeria must apply the same rigorous standards to its waterways as it does to its aviation industry. A maritime safety specialist, Professor Chinedum Onyemechi, urged the importance of stringent safety protocols.
“Imagine if our airlines were regulated like this. Every boat should be seaworthy, operators certified, and every passenger equipped with a life jacket.”
Professor Onyemechi added that to tackle these issues, a comprehensive overhaul is needed, including standardised boat designs, strict enforcement of capacity limits, regular maintenance checks, and mandatory life jackets.
Additionally, a joint effort between NIWA, NIMASA, and local governments could introduce 24-hour monitoring and enforcement, particularly in high-risk areas.
